Mecodema ponaiti Seldon & Leschen, 2011 .

Figures 16B and 48.

Diagnosis: Differing from other North Island Mecodema species by: 1, the prothoracic carina with 4–6 setae along each side ( curvidens species group); 2, submentum sclerite with 2 setae widely-spaced each side; 3, shape of the basal lobe of the left paramere (Fig. 48 LP).

Description: Length 20–26 mm, pronotal width 6.1–6.9 mm, elytral width 7.2–8.6 mm. Colour of the entire body glossy black, ventrally and legs may be dark reddish-brown.

Head: Narrow and flat, deflected laterally (Fig. 14C). Vertex smooth; vertexal groove medially narrow and broad laterally; large supraorbital puncture bearing 3–4 setae; 2–3 well-defined supraorbital grooves; frons smooth (Fig. 48); frontoclypeal suture well-defined, tentorial pits large; anterior area of clypeus with indistinct and broad grooves, 1 setose puncture each side bearing 2 setae (or 2 setose punctures on each side bearing a single seta each). Labrum rounded, anterior edge slightly emarginated with 2 proximate central setae, 2 setae each side evenly spaced. Mentum lobes squared (Fig. 12G), median process short and narrow, slightly angled upward (15°), weakly indentate (Fig. 12C); mentum setae present. Submentum sclerite constriction broad with 2 setae widely-spaced medially, 2 setae widely-spaced each side. Stipes with 2 basal setae. Gula pits large, suture defined, gula flat and smooth. Gena (Fig. 8) with a fine isodiametric pattern across entire area.

Prothorax: Prothoracic carina broad the entire length, crenulations absent with 4–6 setae each side (Fig. 48), extended to anterior angle (or extending to beyond anterior angle); posterior sinuation evidently carinate, parallel; pronotum narrow and moderately deflected laterally, overall shape rounded (Fig. 48); midline well-defined, anterior medial impression absent, posterior medial diamond-shaped impression present, disc without microsculpture; pronotal foveae shallow and narrow; anterior edge strongly inwardly curved, posterior edge straight. Prosternum flat with evenly spaced, fine transverse lines; proepisternum without microsculpture. Procoxal setae absent; protibia distally expanded and shovel-like (Fig. 10B).

Elytra: Narrow and moderately delected laterally, overall shape ovate (Fig. 48), posterior ⅓ steeply angled to apex; humeral angle anteriorly convergent (Fig. 6A) (enhancing ovate shape); basal margin moderately curved and bevelled to base, interval 1 extended to scutellum; lateral carina narrow the entire length, extended to humeral angle; humerus with 2 widely-spaced setose punctures; suture impressed; all striae with small, regularly distributed, asetose punctures (in some specimens striae punctures may be partially obsolescent); all intervals weakly convex, interval 9 truncated and broadened; interval microsculpture present as fine lines; 7 th strial setal pattern with 1–2 setose punctures in anterior ½, 4–5 setose punctures in posterior ½ (Fig. 48), setose punctures large.

Ventral surface: Mesepisternum and metepisternum (Fig. 2) without microsculpture; setose punctures present on mesocoxae (1) and metacoxae absent. All abdominal ventrites finely lineate laterally; ventrites 3–5 without setose punctures each side of midline; ventrite 6 setae present: ♂ with 3 very proximate setose punctures grouped each side at junction of straight apical edge and curve anterad, ♀ with 2 setose punctures each side widely spaced on bluntly pointed apical edge; some ventrites laterally foveate (indistinct). Anterior metaventrite process (Fig. 2) a short, pointed triangle with a broad carina the entire length.

Male genitalia: Apical portion of penis lobe symmetrically rounded with a moderate deflection to right of vertical axis (VV) (Fig. 15B); shaft of penis lobe narrow and straight the entire length (VV) (Fig. 48 PL); overall length of penis lobe slightly curved ventrally (LV) (Fig. 16A). Structures of the endophallus (Fig. 4): lateral form of the apex of the central spicule rounded; dorsal form of the apex of the central spicule short and narrow; setal (scales) coverage of the apical plate moderate (26–75%); size of left setose flange small; size of right setose flange, large. Left paramere narrowly rectangular without dorsal hump (Fig. 48 LP), moderate slope (45°) to arm; arm long and broad, gradually narrowed to terminus; terminal lobe indistinct from arm, apical tuft of sparse long setae, sparsely distributed, short-lengthed setae extended along apical ½ of ventral edge (Fig. 48 LP); ventral edge straight. Right paramere narrowly triangular, gradually narrowed to terminus with a double row of mediumlengthed setae extended along apical ¾ along of ventral edge (Fig. 48 RP).

Female genitalia: Basal gonocoxite 1 long and narrow, apically broadened, ventral surface with a few rugose wrinkles, internal dorso-lateral carina with 2 setae. Gonocoxite 2 (Fig. 5) ovate. Ramus long and broad.

Comments: Mecodema ponaiti is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands and is more closely related to M. regulus from the Three Kings Islands, than the nearest mainland species (Seldon & Leschen 2011).

Distribution: New Zealand, North Island, Northland, Poor Knights Islands (only).

Holotype: NZAC male labelled. NEW ZEALAND ND Poor Knights Is. Tawhiti Rahi Is. 18 Dec 2009 D.S. Seldon, R.A.B. Leschen & T. Buckley / HOLOTYPE Mecodema ponaiti n. sp. design. by Seldon & Leschen 2010 [red label].

Paratypes: (see Seldon & Leschen 2011).

Material examined: 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, ND, Tawhiti Rahi, Poor Knights Isl., 10 Dec 2013, T.R. Buckley, S. Myers, J. Stavert, TB781, ex rotting log, 35 26.990 S, 174 44.154 E, 145 m / CAR127 (NZAC) ; 1♀, NEW ZEALAND, ND, Tawhiti Rahi, Poor Knights Isl., 31 Oct 2004 F. Brook (NZAC) .